In many countries, the health system addresses the consequences, not the causes, of ill-health. The challenge is to identify how a life-course approach can increase the effectiveness of interventions, promoting timely investments with a high rate of return for public health and for the economy.

The WHO European Ministerial Conference will bring together health ministers and national delegations from Member States in the WHO European Region with representatives of intergovernmental organizations, regional economic cooperation agencies, and international nongovernmental organizations to agree on how a life-course approach -- which promotes a healthy start to life and targets the needs of people at critical ages -- can contribute to improving policy-making for health. 

Three key themes run through the Conference – the need to act early, act on time and act together. Jointly, they form the life-course approach. If applied to public health in Europe, there is scope for vast improvement.

The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus will host the Conference, which is being organized by WHO/Europe with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The Conference will take place at the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus.